1 switch to kill power to house

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G

GG

Senior Member
Location
Ft.Worth, T.X.
I was asked today if I know how to install a switch to shut off all the non essential appliances when an owner leaves their house. The person kept saying they saw a commercial on TV for the "switch". I have never heard of or seen said commercial. Have any of you heard of this switch and know exactly how its wired? Sounds like more trouble than its worth in utility bill savings IMO. The owner said it would leave on his refrigerator and A/C.
 
ultramegabob

ultramegabob

Senior Member
Location
Indiana
they work like X-10 devices, you can install a switch to control their devices and modules, they work on a signal through the grounded conductor. they have dip switches on them so you can change things around. all you have to do is replace whatever recepts they want controlled and set the dip switches to match the switch and you can turn off everything with one switch, I believe you can control each half of a duplex recept separately so you dont turn off alarm clocks and other stuff you want to leave on.
 
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Jim W in Tampa

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
Dont make this hard. Create a sub panel for all the stuff they want left on. And a sticker saying dont turn this breaker off for breaker feeding sub. They have more money than brains
 
paul

paul

Senior Member
Location
Snohomish, WA
Jim W in Tampa said:
Dont make this hard. Create a sub panel for all the stuff they want left on. And a sticker saying dont turn this breaker off for breaker feeding sub. They have more money than brains
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There you go being all simplified and reasonable. At least give them a shunt trip breaker so the kids can turn off the 'switch' at some point in time. Otherwise, what fun is it. Heck, make the 'switch' a BIG RED MUSHROOM PUSHBUTTON! :grin: And put it by the front door.
 
Jim W in Tampa

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
Is this really a hard thing to do. Put red nail polsh next to breakers to leave on and big note saying dont turn the red ones off. Some people should simply not have electric. Oliver had Lisa trained better than that.
 
F

fireryan

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
Why not just add a contactor with a sp switch for the coil. When you want appliances off, hit switch. But what appliances are you shutting off when your gone anyways. arent they already not in use:-?
 
Jim W in Tampa

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
might be best to turn everything off. Have friend that had visit from fbi , seems he forgot to turn heat down when he left and poco seen huge increase in wattage. Funny but wasnt at time
 
cadpoint

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Just finished an office that was single lighting contactor at the front door that controlled oh about 15 offices, it was kinda cool...

Go figure their Engineers ! :roll:
 
mivey

mivey

Senior Member
LarryFine said:
I remember that episode. They had to climb the pole, and they couldn't exceed a certain total; nine, I think.

(I'm being vague intentionally, in case anyone else doesn't want me to give it away.)
Click to expand...
Except I thought Lisa was the one who had it figured out and Oliver was the one who kept messing up. Someone else must have trained Lisa but I don't remember.

add: Don't remember the pole for that problem, but they had to get the combination right.
 
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